Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez

IF GOV. ARNOLD Schwarzenegger is the celebrity author of California post-partisanship, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez is certainly his principal ghostwriter. The Republican governor unveiled post-partisanship as a central theme Jan. 5 while delivering his second inaugural address, beginning a marathon week of speeches and policy directives that had the Assembly's top Democrat grinning from ear to ear.

SACRAMENTO -- As Michelle Rhee pushes her controversial brand of education reform in California's capital, she has tapped one of the town's most influential power brokers, Fabian Nunez, to guide her strategy. The former Assembly speaker and high-powered consultant is serving as an advisor to StudentsFirst, the national advocacy group Rhee founded here. As detailed in the Los Angeles Times , the organization is positioning itself as a political counterweight to teachers unions in the education debate.

Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger justified his 11th-hour sentence reduction for the son of a fellow Sacramento politician, saying that "of course you help a friend" and that he felt good about the decision. Schwarzenegger came under heavy fire for the move, which took place hours before he left office in January. In May, former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez's son Esteban accepted a plea deal in the death of Luis Santos, a 22-year-old college student. Schwarzenegger decided to reduce the sentence from 16 years to seven years, infuriating prosecutors as well as the victim's family members, who were not notified beforehand.

Regarding "Companies Resist Bid to Limit Emissions," June 26: To the business lobbies that believe that caps on greenhouse-gas emissions in California "could bring devastating results when fully in place in 2020," I would suggest that not capping these gases would bring the true devastation, not only to our fine state but also to our entire planet. I applaud Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez for putting the interests of humankind ahead of the interests of profit-driven corporations.

Megabucks Inc. is sponsoring a bill in Sacramento that would save it millions of dollars in taxes and regulatory fees and give it a huge advantage over competitors. But for the bill to pass, the company must buy the support of the Assembly speaker, so it gives his reelection campaign $7,200 -- the maximum amount allowed by law. But that's nothing. Everyone with a bill to push is giving the speaker $7,200. So the company's lobbyist just comes right out and asks: "Hey, Mr.

Former state Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez of Los Angeles has found a new job: He will become the Democratic face in California of a Republican-dominated consulting firm, Mercury Public Affairs, after being forced by term limits to leave the Legislature at the end of this month. After six years in the Legislature, including four as Assembly leader, Nunez suggested in a letter to supporters that he would be a valuable asset for clients who deal with state government. "As I prepare to leave office, it is becoming increasingly clear that what is best about the Legislature are the people you work with and the relationships you build," he wrote.

Re "Nunez wants MTA chief ousted," April 11 The article about Roger Snoble, head of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez points to the distribution of Proposition 1B transportation funds. The last item mentioned -- which was, to this voter, the most outrageous -- was a disbursement of $97 million to build a railroad bridge on private railroad property. This hocus-pocus is reminiscent of the early days of California, when Sacramento and the Southern Pacific Railroad were almost partners.

Re "The Demopublicans," editorial, Oct. 19 The notion that Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez has abandoned State Treasurer Phil Angelides' campaign for governor is contradicted by the facts. The speaker is co-chairman of the Angelides campaign. He has attended numerous public and fundraising events with the treasurer. He has loaned his senior staff to the Angelides campaign and been a significant financial backer. Democrats, including the speaker, are strongly united behind the Angelides campaign.

Re "Reform term limits," Opinion, Jan. 15 The statement made by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that Proposition 93 will "give legislators the confidence to say 'no' to special interests" is a lie. The author of this legislation, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, has a history of just saying "yes" to special interests. As The Times has reported, their donations have funded his causes (including this proposition) and his highflying lifestyle. If this proposition passes, Nunez will be given another six years of wine-tasting trips to France, and pandering to the wishes of special interests.

Former state Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez of Los Angeles has found a new job: He will become the Democratic face in California of a Republican-dominated consulting firm, Mercury Public Affairs, after being forced by term limits to leave the Legislature at the end of this month. After six years in the Legislature, including four as Assembly leader, Nunez suggested in a letter to supporters that he would be a valuable asset for clients who deal with state government. "As I prepare to leave office, it is becoming increasingly clear that what is best about the Legislature are the people you work with and the relationships you build," he wrote.

Re "Nunez wants MTA chief ousted," April 11 The article about Roger Snoble, head of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez points to the distribution of Proposition 1B transportation funds. The last item mentioned -- which was, to this voter, the most outrageous -- was a disbursement of $97 million to build a railroad bridge on private railroad property. This hocus-pocus is reminiscent of the early days of California, when Sacramento and the Southern Pacific Railroad were almost partners.

Re "Reform term limits," Opinion, Jan. 15 The statement made by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that Proposition 93 will "give legislators the confidence to say 'no' to special interests" is a lie. The author of this legislation, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, has a history of just saying "yes" to special interests. As The Times has reported, their donations have funded his causes (including this proposition) and his highflying lifestyle. If this proposition passes, Nunez will be given another six years of wine-tasting trips to France, and pandering to the wishes of special interests.

Megabucks Inc. is sponsoring a bill in Sacramento that would save it millions of dollars in taxes and regulatory fees and give it a huge advantage over competitors. But for the bill to pass, the company must buy the support of the Assembly speaker, so it gives his reelection campaign $7,200 -- the maximum amount allowed by law. But that's nothing. Everyone with a bill to push is giving the speaker $7,200. So the company's lobbyist just comes right out and asks: "Hey, Mr.

IF GOV. ARNOLD Schwarzenegger is the celebrity author of California post-partisanship, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez is certainly his principal ghostwriter. The Republican governor unveiled post-partisanship as a central theme Jan. 5 while delivering his second inaugural address, beginning a marathon week of speeches and policy directives that had the Assembly's top Democrat grinning from ear to ear.

SACRAMENTO -- As Michelle Rhee pushes her controversial brand of education reform in California's capital, she has tapped one of the town's most influential power brokers, Fabian Nunez, to guide her strategy. The former Assembly speaker and high-powered consultant is serving as an advisor to StudentsFirst, the national advocacy group Rhee founded here. As detailed in the Los Angeles Times , the organization is positioning itself as a political counterweight to teachers unions in the education debate.

Fabian Nunez couldn't have risen to power in the Capitol much more quickly than he did. Now, after only two years in the Legislature, he is the Democratic counterweight to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. A 37-year-old union organizer from Los Angeles who jumped ahead of a pack of candidates to lock up the Assembly speakership as a freshman, Nunez has proved himself and matured in important ways, observers say.

Re "The Demopublicans," editorial, Oct. 19 The notion that Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez has abandoned State Treasurer Phil Angelides' campaign for governor is contradicted by the facts. The speaker is co-chairman of the Angelides campaign. He has attended numerous public and fundraising events with the treasurer. He has loaned his senior staff to the Angelides campaign and been a significant financial backer. Democrats, including the speaker, are strongly united behind the Angelides campaign.

Regarding "Companies Resist Bid to Limit Emissions," June 26: To the business lobbies that believe that caps on greenhouse-gas emissions in California "could bring devastating results when fully in place in 2020," I would suggest that not capping these gases would bring the true devastation, not only to our fine state but also to our entire planet. I applaud Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez for putting the interests of humankind ahead of the interests of profit-driven corporations.